Daily Archives: March 15, 2017

Montreal has a long and storied heritage of indie rock that skews towards the lush and orchestral and as far as staples of this scene go, the Luyas are among the finest. The launch of their latest LP, Human Voicing, was a testament to this fact. The band, comprised of Jessie Stein, Stephen Schneider, Pietro Amato and Mike Feuerstack have spent a decade polishing their sprawling psych-pop aesthetic. The bill was rounded out by openers Opale and Fleece, both proving to be loyal disciples of the headliner’s refined sound.

The Luyas’s set began on an immediately tender note with the song “Fed To The Lions.” A plodding beat propped up gorgeous swells of harmony, highlighted by the delicate vocals skipping through. The crowd was rapt despite the fact that the set was almost exclusively new material; it was striking how these ambitious tracks, sonic monuments to mind and heart, still managed to feel warm and familiar to the ears of the audience. The band’s playful nature was evident: although their songs are dense and complex, they’re fun, too. Throughout the show, I couldn’t keep a wide grin off my face.

Midway through, the band reached a shimmering peak with the gorgeous “Dream Of Love,” dedicated to a friend in the audience. Horns, synth, and guitar coalesced atop a driving rhythm, but never in a way that felt too epic or overdone. This is a defining feature of the Luyas’s music: no matter how the music towers, shifting layers piling up to the ceiling, Jessie’s voice always manages to keep it achingly intimate, close, urgent. Even as the keys burst out the gate and threatened to break loose on crowd-pleasing closer “Too Beautiful To Work,” the reins were held close and we were masterfully guided home.